Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español

mammogram

(MA-muh-gram)
An x-ray image of the breast used to detect signs of breast cancer or other abnormal breast changes. It is used both for routine screening in women with no symptoms, for diagnosing breast cancer after a lump or other symptoms are detected, and for surveillance after a breast cancer diagnosis.
More Information
Drawing of a woman standing with her left breast pressed between two plates of a mammography machine. Behind her, a health professional uses an X-ray machine to take pictures of the breast. An inset shows the X-ray film image with an arrow pointed at abnormal tissue.Enlarge this image in new window
Mammography is an imaging test used to screen for and diagnose breast cancer. It can detect abnormal breast tissue, including cancer, sometimes before symptoms appear.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms